The chicken TCR zeta-chain restores the function of a mouse T cell hybridoma.
The TCR/CD3 complex has been intensively studied in mammals, but it has been difficult to isolate homologues in other vertebrates. Here, we characterize the chicken zeta-chain, the first nonmammalian homologue identified. The comparison of mammalian and chicken zeta proteins revealed high identity of the transmembrane and the C-terminal cytoplasmic domains. Transfection of a mouse zeta-deficient cell line, with the chicken zeta gene, restored surface expression of the murine TCR/CD3 complex. The chicken zeta-chain was stably associated with the mouse TCR/CD3 components and fully restored its signaling capacity upon stimulation with Ab, superantigen, and peptide Ag. This is the first report of a nonmammalian TCR component that is capable of fully restoring a mammalian TCR in every aspect analyzed, thus demonstrating the enormous selective pressure to maintain the zeta-chain as a structural and signaling component over a period of 300 million years.
Göbel
T W
TW
Basel Institute for Immunology, Switzerland. goebel@bii.ch
Bolliger
L
L
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002645:Chickens; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D051381:Rats; D017260:Receptor-CD3 Complex, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D012756:Sheep; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*
D008565:Membrane Proteins; D017260:Receptor-CD3 Complex, Antigen, T-Cell; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; C054979:antigen T cell receptor, zeta chain